Langley Township Council Meeting Report--Monday Night, June 23, 2008
Notes from Langley Township Council's regular meeting on Monday afternoon, June 23,
Kyle Ross and Rehanna Campbell from the Langley Service Canada Centre for Youth told us about this year's Hire-A-Student program. If you have a youngster aged 15-30 looking for a job, click here or call them at 604-534-8584.
Several developments were considered. See this presentation for some details on them:
Council voted 8-1 (moved by Bateman, seconded by Fox; Richter opposed) to issue a development permit for a commercial building at 26400 56th Ave., the entrance of Gloucester Industrial Estates.
Council voted 7-2 (Ferguson and Fox opposed to both) to advise the ALC that two subdivisions, proposed for 7366 256th St. (splitting 9 acres into 4.75 and 4.25) and for 6947 267th St. (splitting a 1-.8 acre lot in half), complied with our Rural Plan. The Agricultural Land Commission will now consider the applications.
We voted 8-1 (moved by Fox, seconded by Vickberg; Richter opposed) to give three readings to closing the unopened 207th St. at 82nd Ave.
Council voted unanimously to give three readings to repealing 364 outdated or obsolete bylaws (moved by Fox, seconded by Vickberg). Township staff reviewed 4,650 bylaws (most of which are zoning) and determined that 364 should be repealed due to changes in provincial legislation and other updated bylaws. The earliest was from March 2, 1895--a Langley Assessment bylaw that is no longer relevant as it is no longer done by municipalities. There were also several school-related bylaws on the books, mainly for tax collection, that are no longer relevant. Only three of the to-be-repealed bylaws were passed after 1995--a parks and rec commission bylaw amendment that had already seen its parent bylaw repealed; a procedural bylaw amendment for that same reason, and the 1996 election procedure bylaw which was not officially repealed in the 1999 election procedure bylaw.
Council voted unanimously (moved by Fox, seconded by Ward)to give third reading to a bylaw to declare the James Ralph Elkins Barn a heritage site.
We voted unanimously (moved by Fox, seconded by Ferguson) to give third reading to a bylaw to add financial uses to the zoning of the Langley Banquet Centre at 3227 264th St.
Council voted unanimously (moved by Ward, seconded by Vickberg) to give third reading to a bylaw to rezone property at 21941 and 21969 52nd Ave. for nine single-family lots.
After much debate, and two amendments, Council voted 8-1 to give third reading to a rezoning bylaw for the Irish Cultural Centre and seniors apartment project proposed for the corner of 83rd Ave. and 208th St. (moved by Bateman, seconded by Vickberg; Richter opposed). Only the rezoning was on the table for debate, but we made it clear that we expect a lot of work to be done on the site design and architectural renderings before it can go any further (i.e. a development permit and final reading). We listed a number of concerns brought up by both staff and residents, all of which will have to be resolved before coming forward for a development permit.
That being said, the Willoughby neighbourhood will eventually be home to as many as 70,000 people. This Irish Cultural Centre, seniors development, Willoughby Hall renovation, and all the associated uses have the ability to become a town square for the Yorkson area. I believe this will be a place where people of all generations gather. Children will use that facility--essentially a recreation centre at no cost to the taxpayers of the Township--for dance and other lessons and recitals. Seniors will live there. The Willoughby Hall will flourish and serve several more generations of Langley residents. In fact, I see this rezoning as being crucial to the long term health and success of that Hall.
Are the drawings in the package perfect? No. There is still a lot of work to be done by architects and planners. The look of the buildings need to be substantially improved. They need to be re-positioned to allay neighbours' concerns. But the land use is sound, and I supported the rezoning. This will be a great thing for Willoughby, and the Township as a whole.
Council gave unanimous final adoption to the Parks and Recreation fees and charges bylaw (moved by Vickberg, seconded by Ferguson).
We also gave final reading to the 2008 election bylaw (moved by Fox, seconded by Bateman).
A Coun. Richter motion (seconded by Fox) calling for staff to look at traffic calming measures along 62A Cres. from 240h St. to 64th Ave. passed unanimously.
Kyle Ross and Rehanna Campbell from the Langley Service Canada Centre for Youth told us about this year's Hire-A-Student program. If you have a youngster aged 15-30 looking for a job, click here or call them at 604-534-8584.
Several developments were considered. See this presentation for some details on them:
Council voted 8-1 (moved by Bateman, seconded by Fox; Richter opposed) to issue a development permit for a commercial building at 26400 56th Ave., the entrance of Gloucester Industrial Estates.
Council voted 7-2 (Ferguson and Fox opposed to both) to advise the ALC that two subdivisions, proposed for 7366 256th St. (splitting 9 acres into 4.75 and 4.25) and for 6947 267th St. (splitting a 1-.8 acre lot in half), complied with our Rural Plan. The Agricultural Land Commission will now consider the applications.
We voted 8-1 (moved by Fox, seconded by Vickberg; Richter opposed) to give three readings to closing the unopened 207th St. at 82nd Ave.
Council voted unanimously to give three readings to repealing 364 outdated or obsolete bylaws (moved by Fox, seconded by Vickberg). Township staff reviewed 4,650 bylaws (most of which are zoning) and determined that 364 should be repealed due to changes in provincial legislation and other updated bylaws. The earliest was from March 2, 1895--a Langley Assessment bylaw that is no longer relevant as it is no longer done by municipalities. There were also several school-related bylaws on the books, mainly for tax collection, that are no longer relevant. Only three of the to-be-repealed bylaws were passed after 1995--a parks and rec commission bylaw amendment that had already seen its parent bylaw repealed; a procedural bylaw amendment for that same reason, and the 1996 election procedure bylaw which was not officially repealed in the 1999 election procedure bylaw.
Council voted unanimously (moved by Fox, seconded by Ward)to give third reading to a bylaw to declare the James Ralph Elkins Barn a heritage site.
We voted unanimously (moved by Fox, seconded by Ferguson) to give third reading to a bylaw to add financial uses to the zoning of the Langley Banquet Centre at 3227 264th St.
Council voted unanimously (moved by Ward, seconded by Vickberg) to give third reading to a bylaw to rezone property at 21941 and 21969 52nd Ave. for nine single-family lots.
After much debate, and two amendments, Council voted 8-1 to give third reading to a rezoning bylaw for the Irish Cultural Centre and seniors apartment project proposed for the corner of 83rd Ave. and 208th St. (moved by Bateman, seconded by Vickberg; Richter opposed). Only the rezoning was on the table for debate, but we made it clear that we expect a lot of work to be done on the site design and architectural renderings before it can go any further (i.e. a development permit and final reading). We listed a number of concerns brought up by both staff and residents, all of which will have to be resolved before coming forward for a development permit.
That being said, the Willoughby neighbourhood will eventually be home to as many as 70,000 people. This Irish Cultural Centre, seniors development, Willoughby Hall renovation, and all the associated uses have the ability to become a town square for the Yorkson area. I believe this will be a place where people of all generations gather. Children will use that facility--essentially a recreation centre at no cost to the taxpayers of the Township--for dance and other lessons and recitals. Seniors will live there. The Willoughby Hall will flourish and serve several more generations of Langley residents. In fact, I see this rezoning as being crucial to the long term health and success of that Hall.
Are the drawings in the package perfect? No. There is still a lot of work to be done by architects and planners. The look of the buildings need to be substantially improved. They need to be re-positioned to allay neighbours' concerns. But the land use is sound, and I supported the rezoning. This will be a great thing for Willoughby, and the Township as a whole.
Council gave unanimous final adoption to the Parks and Recreation fees and charges bylaw (moved by Vickberg, seconded by Ferguson).
We also gave final reading to the 2008 election bylaw (moved by Fox, seconded by Bateman).
A Coun. Richter motion (seconded by Fox) calling for staff to look at traffic calming measures along 62A Cres. from 240h St. to 64th Ave. passed unanimously.
posted by Jordan Bateman @ 10:08 PM
